Trichoscypha debruijnii Breteler, 2004

Breteler, F. J., 2004, The genus Trichoscypha (Anacardiaceae) in Lower Guinea and Congolia: A synoptic revision, Adansonia (3) 26 (1), pp. 97-127 : 109

5. Trichoscypha debruijnii Breteler , sp. nov.

T. acuminatae Engl. et T. oddonii De Wild. affinis inflorescentiis caulifloris et fructibus piliferis, ab eis differt foliolis basi valde obliquis inferne indumento stellatopiloso vestitis.

TYPUS. — Van der Maesen, Louis & De Bruijn 5837, Gabon, 23 km from Lastoursville, railway bridge, fr. Nov. 1988 (holo-, WAG!; iso-, G, K, LBV, MO, P).

Treelet c. 5 m tall, trunk 3-5 cm in diam. Branchlets tomentellous, hairs stellate. Leaves up to c. 80 cm long, 13-jugate, petiole and rachis subterete, hairy like the branchlet; folioles opposite to alternate, obliquely elliptic-lanceolate, (2-)3-4 times as long as wide, (8-)14-20 × 4-5 cm, strongly asymmetric at base, cuneate on the proximal side, rounded to obtuse distally, apex caudate-acuminate, the acumen 2-2.5 cm long, ± sparsely stellate-hairy on the impressed midrib above, densely so beneath; lateral nerves 16-20 pairs, slightly prominent beneath; petiolule (6-)7-9(-10) mm long. Inflorescence borne on the main stem at c. 1.8 m height, brown-short-hairy, hairs mainly simple. Male flower unknown. Female flower (see note): pedicel c. 1 mm long, puberulous; calyx c. 1.5 mm long, puberulous outside, lobes c. 0.5 mm long; petals narrowly imbricate, reflexed at anthesis, ovate-oblong, c. 2.5 mm long, sparsely subappressed-puberulous outside; staminodes c. 1 mm long; disc ± cup-shaped, sparsely hairy inside; ovary tomentellous, stigmas sessile. Fruit red, ovoid-ellipsoid, 3.5-5 × 2.5-3.5 cm, velvety, hairs simple; pulp red. Seed ellipsoid, laterally compressed, 3.2 × 1.8 × 1.5 cm. — Figs 4 ; 7.

HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION. — Rain forest in

Central Gabon. Alt. 300-400 m.

NOTES. — Trichoscypha debruijnii is the only species of this genus with a stellate indumentum, a feature that is quite common in the genus Lannea of the Anacardiaceae .

The description of the female flower is based on some debris found attached to the infructescence.

The species is named after J. DE BRUIJN, an excellent field worker and one of the collectors of the type specimen .

Figures

FIG. 4. — Distribution of Trichoscypha species 2, 4-9, 12.

FIG. 7. — Trichoscypha debruijnii Breteler: A, leaf; B, leaflet, lower surface; C, D, detail lower surface of leaflet; E-G, stellate hairs; H, flower bud; I, infructescence; J, fruit; K, detail of fruit indumentum. All from Van der Maesen et al. 5837. Drawing by H. DE VRIES.